Restoration Battery Failure

[Edward J.]

Re: Restoration Battery Failure

Guys, since were on the subject of restoration batteries, I did look at my 89w battery that I have just received, I have question reguarding the hoses in the kit, they are not even close to the original, I do have only one of the originals,I was looking at the judging sheets,it only menchins the caps and nothing about the hoses, as I am sure that they are judged.

Has any one used the hoses from restoration batteries,
and had them judged ?

[Dave S.]

Re: Restoration Battery Failure

Guys, since were on the subject of restoration batteries, I did look at my 89w battery that I have just received, I have question reguarding the hoses in the kit, they are not even close to the original, I do have only one of the originals,I was looking at the judging sheets,it only menchins the caps and nothing about the hoses, as I am sure that they are judged.

Has any one used the hoses from restoration batteries,
and had them judged ?

Ed,
I don't know anything about the reproductions but if you have hoses with the proper angle cuts at the end and one hose with 3 ribs and the second hose with no ribs (smooth) you should be OK. Look at an original car to see which way the angle cuts are facing.

[Edward J.]

Re: Restoration Battery Failure

Dave, I the one with the ribs, I guess I will try and come up with a smooth one.

[Gerard F.]

Re: Restoration Battery Failure

Yikes! My year-old tar-top style reproduction gel battery died a couple of weeks ago. I had paid about $300, including shipping, for it so that my '65 coupe would have a battery that looked as original as possible.

I had realized that even though I drove the car about once a week, the battery would be better off with a trickle charger between drives. So, I had been using a Lectric Limited "Battery Butler" Float Charger. The Battery Butler cycled on and off, as designed, so as not to overcharge this battery. When I called early this week to report the battery as dead, a very nice lady on the phone told me that this charger would not keep this battery fully charged.

All kinds of warnings came with the battery, all of which I took heed. When the battery would no longer hold a charge, it was very inconvenient NOT to be able to jump start the car. Jump starting with this battery installed is expressly warned against in big red letters on the instruction sheet. So, I had to buy another battery, a conventional water/acid battery to use until I got the gel battery issue resolved.

Well, the packaging, insurance, and shipping for returning the battery for a warranty claim cost over $78! I am hoping that they will send me a new battery which is what the paperwork states for batteries that fail within a year of installation.

What are your experiences and recommendations? -Clark

Clark,

I have had a Restoration Battery on my 67 for the last 2 years and have had no problems. I use the car on weekends and on trips. When it is sitting in the garage, I put it on a Battery Tender to keep it charged and the clock running.

One thing you'll note in the documentation is that these batteries are fully charged at about 12.84 volts, or there abouts, and as you say should not be jumped started, and as the docs say, charged at a voltage of over 15 volts.

When I first got this $300 battery, I wanted to be sure I never overcharged this battery, especially on a long trip, with all the warnings.

So I checked my charging voltage, and then adjusted the voltage regulator so that the charging voltage from the alternator was never much over 14 volts to be sure.

I think charging voltage may be the problem some people have with these batteries not lasting very long.

[Terry M.]

Re: Restoration Battery Failure

So I checked my charging voltage, and then adjusted the voltage regulator so that the charging voltage from the alternator was never much over 14 volts to be sure.

I think charging voltage may be the problem some people have with these batteries not lasting very long.

This may be worth while for 1968 and older Corvettes, but 1969 and newer use a solid statn, non-adjustable voltage regulator that I would bet is speced for over 14 volts.

Now why would a battery manufacturer produce a battery that can not deal with the vehicle it is made to be installed in? Maybe they should answer that question?

[Don L.]

Re: Restoration Battery Failure

Dave, I the one with the ribs, I guess I will try and come up with a smooth one.

I had the opposite problem. Fixed that (just this morning) and now have a surplus plain hose. PM me if you want it.

[Clark K.]

Re: Restoration Battery Failure

Clark, I have had a Restoration Battery on my 67 for the last 2 years and have had no problems. I use the car on weekends and on trips.

When I first got this $300 battery, I wanted to be sure I never overcharged this battery, especially on a long trip, with all the warnings. So I checked my charging voltage, and then adjusted the voltage regulator so that the charging voltage from the alternator was never much over 14 volts to be sure. I think charging voltage may be the problem some people have with these batteries not lasting very long.

That could very well be my problem. I will have to check my alternator's charging voltage and possibly reset the voltage regulator. The battery's paperwork expressly tells you NOT to charge the battery to over 15 volts, EVER. When I called them, the lady on the phone told me that their gel-type battery can be charged with a 10 amp charger for two hours and not longer. When I get a replacement back, I will be sure to use their brand charger. -Clark

[Clark K.]

Re: Restoration Battery Failure

C1s and some C2s may be difficult to change the battery, but some Chrysler cars of a decade ago required removal of the driver's side front wheel and inner fender panel before one can even see the battery. Makes the C1 and C2 look easy by comparison.

That is the case with my '65 L76 engined C-60 (A/C) coupe. The battery is in the driver's side front fender. First, you jack up the left front of the car. Then the left front tire/wheel has to be removed and a panel removed to access the battery.

But, that is nothing compared to my daughter's Pontiac Solstice GXP. You have to remove the entire right front FENDER to access the battery!
-Clark

[Clark K.]

Re: Restoration Battery Failure

PS: I WOULD STRONGLY RECOMMEND hanging onto the original shipping cartons for the warranty period. Otherwise, proper packing for return will be difficult. I know!!

Boy, I wish that I had saved MY box! I kept it for six months and finally threw it away in a fit of "do I really need all these boxes that things came in?". Having that original shipping box would have saved me lots of money at the UPS store. -Clark

[Clark K.]

Re: Restoration Battery Failure

You are going to get a point deduct no matter which Restoration battery you use. PT

For Sting Ray owners, there was an article in "The Restorer" last year about melting some roofing tar and pouring it over the top of the battery in order to make it appear to be a genuine tar-top battery. If you are like me and pay for a coded restoration battery, this is the way to go. I plan on doing this when I get a replacement battery. (I bet it will void the warranty, though) -Clark

[Dan H.]

Re: Restoration Battery Failure

Clark,

I have had a Restoration Battery on my 67 for the last 2 years and have had no problems. I use the car on weekends and on trips. When it is sitting in the garage, I put it on a Battery Tender to keep it charged and the clock running.

One thing you'll note in the documentation is that these batteries are fully charged at about 12.84 volts, or there abouts, and as you say should not be jumped started, and as the docs say, charged at a voltage of over 15 volts.

When I first got this $300 battery, I wanted to be sure I never overcharged this battery, especially on a long trip, with all the warnings.

So I checked my charging voltage, and then adjusted the voltage regulator so that the charging voltage from the alternator was never much over 14 volts to be sure.

I think charging voltage may be the problem some people have with these batteries not lasting very long.

Jerry, can you explain what to adjust on the voltage regulator to adjust the voltage/charging rate? Looked at the Service Manual but not clear what to 'tweek' for a slight reduction in voltage.
Dan

[Jack H.]

Re: Restoration Battery Failure

The incident mentioned (Delco battery failure) happened years ago, Pat. That was when Delco was still part of GM before the spin-off/creation of Delphi. Delco batteries were one of the house brands at K-Mart in those days...

But, this particular battery wasn't purchased at K-Mart. It came through a Denver local Delco distributor (PAM). I might be wrong on this, but I believe that was before Delco did a 100% shut down of their own battery manufacturing and went to brand labeling.

Bottom line, the failed battery was promptly replaced and the replacement lived a good/solid 7-years before its 'natural' death...

[Ronald L.]

Re: Restoration Battery Failure

That's probably why Tesla uses SIX THOUSAND laptop batteries in their battery pack.

John, You know more that you let on... Have not seen the Tesla, but have see the Toyota & Ford Escape battery in their hybrids. It will be very intersting to see public opinion in a few years as these things approach their usefull lifetime and require replacement.

[Patrick H.]

Re: Restoration Battery Failure

The incident mentioned (Delco battery failure) happened years ago, Pat. That was when Delco was still part of GM before the spin-off/creation of Delphi. Delco batteries were one of the house brands at K-Mart in those days...

But, this particular battery wasn't purchased at K-Mart. It came through a Denver local Delco distributor (PAM). I might be wrong on this, but I believe that was before Delco did a 100% shut down of their own battery manufacturing and went to brand labeling.

Bottom line, the failed battery was promptly replaced and the replacement lived a good/solid 7-years before its 'natural' death...

I meant Restoration Battery, Jack, not Delco.

RB is the reseller of batteries made by (?) Antique Auto Battery.

[Gerard F.]

Re: Restoration Battery Failure

Jerry, can you explain what to adjust on the voltage regulator to adjust the voltage/charging rate? Looked at the Service Manual but not clear what to 'tweek' for a slight reduction in voltage.
Dan

Dan,

Take a look at this post for a neat instrument.

https://www.forums.ncrs.org/showthre...11095&uid=9329

I was using the 67 Service Manual for my standard voltage regulator. The procedure was pretty straightforward in my manual. It is just turning one little adjustment screw.

Not sure that your 64 VR and the 64 service manual is the same.